(Singing Games for the Primary Music Classroom)

Lisa Wichman Kinnelon School District, Kinnelon, NJ

NJSMA Elementary Music Division Chairperson

elementary@njsma.com

NJMEA Conference; February 18, 2016

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NJSMA Elementary Music Division

UPCOMING EVENTS: May 31, 2016: Elementary Choral Celebration; Drew University.

Elementary school choirs will have an opportunity to participate in a non-competitive event and receive feedback from master clinicians. Choirs will perform individually, listen to other elementary choirs, and unite in song at the conclusion of the event. Our goals

are to further develop children's musicianship skills, nurture a deeper appreciation of the choral art through performing, listening and communal singing, and foster a life-long love of choral singing. In addition, participating choral directors will have the opportunity

to grow professionally and artistically by receiving comments and feedback from master clinicians.

Choral directors wishing to attend the Celebration as observers, rather than as participants are invited to register as an ‘auditor.’ Email elementary@njsma.com to register.

October 10, 2016: Professional Development Workshop for PreK-6th Grade Music Educators/Music Ed Majors

SAVE THE DATE! This full day (9:30am-3:30pm) workshop will feature an internationally

recognized leader in elementary music education! For more information and to register,

visit http://njsma.com/ (location will be in Morris County, NJ)

Our newly revitalized NJSMA Elementary Music Division needs your help! Please consider volunteering as a committee

member. Check our website and Facebook page to see all the wonderful programs we offer elementary music teachers.

This past year, we sponsored these events:

April, 2015: “Keep Calm and Teach Kindergarten Music,” Montclair State University, clinician, Lisa Wichman

October, 2015: “John Feierabend and More!” (also featuring Amy Burn and Missy Strong, clinicians and the NJYC)

November, 2015: “Elementary Choral Rehearsal Demonstration and Reading Session,” MSU, clinician, Deborah Mello

GAME ON! NJCCCS:

1.3.2.B.2 Demonstrate developmentally appropriate vocal production/vocal placement and breathing technique. 1.3.2.B.4 Vocalize the home tone of familiar and unfamiliar songs, and demonstrate appropriate posture and breathing technique while performing songs 1.3.P.A.1 Move the body in a variety of ways, with and without music. 1.3.P.A.2 Respond to changes in tempo and a variety of musical rhythms through body movement. 1.3.P.A.3 Participate in simple sequences of movements. 1.3.P.A.4 Define and maintain personal space, concentration, and focus during creative movement/dance performances. 1.3.P.A.5 Participate in or observe a variety of dance and movement activities accompanied by music and/or props from different cultures and genres. 1.3.2.A.3 Define and maintain personal space, concentrate, and appropriately direct focus while performing movement skills

LOOBY LOO Traditional

FORMATION: Standing circle. ‘Toes to the left.’ Move on refrain; face inside on verses, following directions of lyrics

GOIN’ TO KENTUCKY Singing Games Children Love Vol. 2

FORMATION: Standing circle. Leader in middle.

“I was going….”- circle moves to left; leader to right.

“Oh shake it…..” -all stop and shake in place.

“Rumble to the bottom”- twist down and back up

“Turn around…,” all clap on beat while leader turns around with eyes covered by one hand; other hand pointing.

“Until it’s time to stop,” leader stops and the person to whom s/he is pointing becomes the new leader. Repeat.

RIG A JIG JIG 120 Singing Games -adapted

FORMATION: Circle moves to the left; Teacher holds “leprechaun catcher” (hula hoop) while

children walk in a circle and through the ‘catcher.” On “Rig a jig jig,” teacher catches leprechaun in the hula

hoop. The “leprechaun” must jig, as all sing the refrain, to be released from ‘leprechaun catcher.’ Continue playing, catching new leprechauns. (adapted text: “A leprechaun I chanced to meet”) Teaching tip: Tell story before game about a leprechaun on the loose at school. Teacher wants to catch the sneaky leprechaun with the ‘leprechaun catcher.’ “Maybe the leprechaun is disguised as a student!”

OATS AND BEANS AND BARLEY GROW 150 American Folk Songs

FORMATION: Single circle, hands joined, one player in the center as the Farmer. Circle walks to

the left while singing verse 1. Verse 2: Farmer goes through the action indicated

by the words, the circle standing and doing the same. Verse 3: Farmer chooses a partner.

Verse 4: Farmer and partner link elbows and skip. The new partner becomes the Farmer and game

continues.

HERE COMES A BLUEBIRD 150 American Folk Songs

FORMATION: Standing circle; arms at sides with room between each child.(windows). Actions follow text of song.

One child goes in and out windows. Takes partner; join hands and hop inside circle. Original bluebird returns to circle. Partner now becomes new bluebird.

Continue game. Add a second bluebird. Both take partners. Repeat with 2 new players. Play until all

have turn.

CIRCLE ‘ROUND THE ZERO 120 Singing Games FORMATION: Circle, not holding hands. Leader

starts on outside of circle. Leader walks clockwise around the outside of the circle. At ‘back, back zero,’ Leader stop and stands back to back with

nearest person. Then, following the words of the song, the Leader stands side by side, front to front and taps the the person on the shoulder. The

tapped person steps to the outside and becomes new Leader. Old Leader sits down in New Leader’s

spot. Continue until all have had a turn. To speed up game, have two Leaders move at the same time.

MOVING CIRCLE/PARTNER CHOOSING

WINDING/ARCH GAMES

SNAIL, SNAIL Sail Away

FORMATION: Standing circle; hands joined,

except for head and tail of snail. Teacher (head of snail) winds up class (snail) into spiral. Once snail is

wound

up, teacher moves and joins hands with ‘tail’ of the snail, which now becomes the new ‘head’ of the

snail. All turn and face the other direction. Teacher unwinds the snail quickly. Goal is for snail to

unwind and move quickly around the room. Helpful reminder: "To wind up tightly, follow the ‘footprints’ in front of you.” Rules for unwinding:

1) Don’t let go! 2) Don’t fall down! 3) Keep singing!

WIND THE BOBBIN 120 Singing Games

FORMATION: Standing circle; hands joined, except for head and end of circle. Teacher winds up class into spiral.

Once circle is wound up, sing final line and exclaim, “Break it!” Children scatter back to their music spots on “Break

it!”

LONDON BRIDGE Traditional

Vs. 2: Take the key and lock him/her/them up……

FORMATION: Pair makes bridge with arms up. Class goes under bridge while singing. On “LOCK”,

circle stops moving and bridge ‘catches’ person walking underneath. Child caught makes new

bridge with student in front of them. Continue until all are bridges. Original pair goes under all bridges for final time.

GO IN AND OUT THE WINDOW 120 Singing Games

FORMATION: Joined hands; arms raised. (windows.)

Vs. 1 Leader walks in and out of windows.

Vs. 2. Leader ‘shuts’ windows by pulling down clasped hands.

Vs. 3 Leader washes windows by making circular motion in front

of faces.

Vs. 4. Circle kneels, hands still joined. Leader jumps over clasped hands.

Vs. 5. Circle stands; leader stands in front of a partner.

Continue with new leader.

OLD MOTHER WITCH Singing Games Children Love

FORMATION: Standing circle. Teacher (Witch)

leads children around in a circle. At end of song, Witch asks students, “Are you my children?” Students answer, “No, you mean old witch!”

Witch asks students a second time, with same reply from students. The third time the Witch asks, the children reply, “YES!” Upon saying

“YES!” the children run to base; the witch tags as many children as possible. Caught children go

to witch’s gingerbread house and wait until end of game. At end of game, witch cackles poem (with lights turned off): “Stirring, stirring, stirring the pot. Bubbling, bubbling piping hot! Look to the moon, laugh like a loon, stir something round in the pot. (clap clap) Witch tastes the stew and declares that the stew

tastes like soap and toothpaste and shampoo and sends children home

COME BACK HOME, MY LITTLE CHICKS Jill Trinka Volume 2

FORMATION: Standing circle; joined hands. Chick in the center; Wolf on the outside.

Teacher/Leader sings first motive and subsequent questions; circle of chicks sing all

answers. On the spoken phrase, the chicks quickly grab their own sides, creating room between each child. The wolf chases the

chick, running in, out, through and around the circle until chick is caught or until teacher

calls game over. Game continues with new players.

CUT THE CAKE 120 Singing Games

FORMATION: Standing circle; the child

chosen as ‘it’ steps around the outside of the circle while the song is sung. On the first phrase, the children clap their hands; on the

2nd phrase, they shake themselves, and on the third phrase, they join hands. On the

words, ‘cut the cake,’ the child who is ‘it’ brings hands down in a slicing motion

between two children, breaking their clasp. These two children run around the circle in opposite directions. The one who gets back

to place first is the new ‘it’ and the game continues.

NAUGHTY KITTY CAT Jill Trinka; Volume 4

FORMATION: Standing circle, hands joined.

Mouse inside circle, Cat outside the circle. On “SCAT!” circle raises joined hands, creating windows. Cat chases mouse in and out of

windows, until cat tags mouse, or until Teacher calls time.

CHASE/RACE GAMES

DOGGIE, DOGGIE Singing Games Children Love

FORMATION: Sitting circle. One child is the ‘doggie’ and sits in chair outside of the circle and covers his/her eyes with stuffed dog. Another is given the

‘bone.’ (toy dog bone) All sing first 3 phrases. Child with ‘bone’ sings last phrase. The doggie guesses who

‘stole the bone.’ (props needed: toy dog bone)

BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR (sing to tune: Twinkle, Twinkle)

Formation: Sitting circle. Using a copy of Carle’s

book, sing Brown Bear, Brown Bear to tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle.” After singing book together, each

child chooses a beanie baby animal to hold. Once everyone has a beanie baby, go around the circle and identify beanie. (red dog, fuzzy bear, etc.) Children

place beanie baby on floor in front of themselves. All sing, “Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?” Teacher begins, “I see a ___ ____ looking at me.”All

sing ____ ____, ____ ____, what do you see? Child holding that beanie baby responds, “I see a _________ looking at me.” Once a child’s critter is called, the child

holds the critter in lap, indicating that s/he has had a turn. Continue until all have sung individually.* (props needed: Eric Carle’s book; beanie babies) *idea from Kristen Lukow

ALPHABET SOUP Alphabet soup, alphabet soup.

Stir a little, mix a little, alphabet soup. (tune: Hot Cross Buns)

Formation: Sitting circle. teacher tells class they are going

to make (imaginary) Alphabet Soup. Teacher takes pot and asks children what to add. (broth, carrots, onions, etc., and of course, alphabet letters.) Teacher dumps all the letters

from the puzzle into the pot. Class sings song, while teacher ‘stirs’ the pot. While continuing to sing “Alphabet Soup,” teacher walks around circle and each child takes a

puzzle letter from the pot, then hides the letter in his/her hands. Any letters not taken from pot are placed back on puzzle by teacher. Teacher then exclaims that the soup isn’t

finished and she needs the letters back. Class sings together, “Who has the A?” (so mi la so mi). Whoever has the letter responds, singing “I have the A.” Continue until all

letters are returned to puzzle.

(Props: alphabet puzzle; bucket)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kimberly-Geswein-Fonts

Resources:

150 American Folk Songs

120 Singing Games and Dances

Singing Games Children Love (Denise Gagne)

Sail Away

Jill Trinka Books

Kristen Lukow http://kristinlukow.blogspot.com/

SOLO SINGING GAMES

FONTS: